Skymesh [1] was founded in 2005 in Brisbane, Queensland, with the mission to provide reliable internet connectivity to remote and regional areas of Australia. It focused on bringing high-quality internet to areas where options were limited.
- 2005 - Skymesh founded. The company began by rolling out its own fixed wireless network in the Gympie and Sunshine Coast regions, providing 2 Mbps services to residents not covered by Telstra’s ADSL footprint.
- 2006 - Selected as a Suncoast Broadband Preferred Supplier for wireless broadband services in blackspots of the Noosa, Maroochy, and Caloundra Shires.
- 2007 - Began offering IPSTAR satellite services nationwide, providing 4 Mbps services to residents outside fixed-line and fixed wireless footprints.
- 2011 - Started providing satellite services over nbn® co’s interim satellite network, offering 6 Mbps to residents outside fibre and fixed wireless areas.
- 2012 - Launched services over nbn® co’s fixed wireless network, initially 12 Mbps and later upgraded to 25 Mbps.
- 2014 - Assisted nbn® co in commissioning the Sky Muster satellite network, providing test services to early Skymesh customers.
- 2016 - Began offering satellite services over Sky Muster, delivering 25 Mbps to areas beyond fibre and fixed wireless coverage.
- 2017 - Acquired Bordernet,[2] expanding regional coverage.
- 2018 - Sold fixed-line business to Superloop, focusing on regional broadband and satellite services.
- 2019- Assisted nbn® co in testing Sky Muster Plus, supplying fifty test services to Skymesh customers.
- 2020- Launched Sky Muster Plus service with unmetered data by default, plus optional data blocks to top up allowances.
- 2022 - Acquired Clear Networks and satellite customers from Uniti Group Limited,[3] increasing total customer base to 56,000.
- 2024 - Began offering business-grade Starlink services as an authorised reseller.
Skymesh provides a variety of broadband services tailored to meet the needs of residential and business customers in remote and regional Australia:
- Satellite Broadband: Utilising nbn® co’s Sky Muster satellite network, Skymesh offers reliable satellite internet services to areas beyond the reach of fixed-line infrastructure.[4]
- Fixed Wireless: Delivering high-speed internet access to locations where traditional broadband options are unavailable, Skymesh's fixed wireless services cater to both residential and business customers.[5]
- Fibre: For areas with access to fibre infrastructure, Skymesh provides fixed-line broadband services, ensuring stable and high-speed internet connectivity.[6]
- Business Starlink: As an authorised reseller of SpaceX's Starlink for Business, Skymesh offers advanced satellite connectivity solutions designed to meet the demands of business operations in remote locations.[7]
Skymesh has been recognised for its excellence in satellite broadband services, becoming one of the first providers to win a WhistleOut award category six years in a row. The company has consistently received the Best Satellite NBN Provider award,[8] reflecting its commitment to connecting regional Australia to reliable and high-quality internet services. Skymesh has maintained a strong reputation as a leading provider of satellite internet plans.
In 2017, satellite broadband operator Ipstar was ordered by an Australian court to pay back $5.2 million to Skymesh against three separate claims. Skymesh was Ipstar's second largest ISP at that time, using Ipstar's satellite to provide broadband connections to rural Australia.[9] Ipstar appealed but the damages were upheld.[10]
